10 LOW-MAINTENANCE PERENNIALS

Gardens are growing, and so are the trends shaping them. From eco-savvy native gardening designs to responsibly sourcing your seeds and plants, our experts share their top trends for 2025. Whether you're a green gardener or green-thumbed pro, these hot takes will provide endless inspiration. Meadow mania
 The “meadow” or “prairie” approach to landscaping is blossoming in popularity as gardeners embrace eco-conscious ways to design their spaces. By incorporating native plants like little bluestem, Echinacea, and Rattlesnake Master alongside adaptable non-natives such as Russian sage and yarrow, homeowners are creating vibrant, climate-resilient landscapes. A standout for 2025 is short-toothed mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), the Perennial Plant of the Year. This native gem is drought-tolerant and a magnet for pollinators—a perfect addition to meadow-style gardens. To achieve this look, start by reducing lawn space and planting a mix of hardy perennials, grasses, and wildflowers in natural groupings. Unlike traditional gardens, this “dry and wild” method requires less water, reduces maintenance, and fosters biodiversity. With its relaxed charm and environmental benefits, the meadow approach is a win for gardeners and ecosystems alike.
 Short and sweet Short-blooming plants are lovely additions to gardens, offering a compact, tidy look while providing essential resources for pollinators. These plants work beautifully as borders between garden beds and lawns, helping transition from taller plants to neat, manicured grass. Species like Pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta), Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum), and Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans) bloom in spring, but their fascinating, textural foliage enhances the landscape long after the flowers fade. Adding a blend of low-growing grasses and wildflowers offers a meadow-like appearance, which can be styled to look more structured or intentionally wild. With proper care, this design approach provides vibrant color and texture throughout the seasons, benefiting both the aesthetic of your yard and the local ecosystem.
 Milkweed for a butterfly bonanza As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers listing monarch butterflies as endangered, gardeners have a chance to help save this iconic species. Monarchs continue to decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change, which have destroyed their breeding grounds and reduced milkweed—their essential host plant. 
 By planting more milkweed, homeowners can create vital habitats to support monarchs and help reverse their decline and ensure these beloved pollinators thrive for generations to come. Above all, if you're interested in maximizing the enjoyment of YOUR yard call us today to schedule your free landscape consultation and let us help you bring your gardening desires to life! Source: https://www.chicagobotanic.org

Landscaping Ideas for an Enchanting Outdoor Space

Just because you have a smaller plot doesn't mean you can't make it stand out. Maximize the impact of a minimal landscape with these small garden, front yard, and backyard garden ideas.

Garden of Eden The wild, earthly, Garden-of-Eden vibe is going to be big for gardens this year. So how do you translate that aesthetic to your own backyard? For starters, try mixing in edible plants with the rest of your landscape—don't just contain them to raised beds. This trend is also all about nurturing nature by incorporating pollinator- and bird-friendly plants, using organic products, and being mindful of soil health.

Landscaping is comprised of five main elements: color, line, texture, form and shape. These elements all work together to form a beautiful landscape design. Understanding each element will help you make good landscaping decisions, so we’ve outlined the ways each element can be incorporated into a design: 1. Color While all of the elements of landscaping are important, color might be the most essential. Color can add dimension, visual interest, and seasonal variety to your landscaping throughout the year. Color doesn’t just apply to the flowering plants you choose; you can also use paving, retaining walls, fences and mulch to add color to your landscape design. 2. Line Line refers to both hardscape and softscape elements, but typically it refers to the more structural features in your garden. Flower beds, walkways, patio perimeters, hedges and arbours can all be used to add lines to your garden and can help to draw attention to certain areas. If you prefer a more formal look, opt for hard lines as curved lines tend to be less formal and more relaxed. 3. Texture In any good design, texture is key. Plants are the best way to accomplish this goal, as the leaves, bark, flowers and branches all add instant texture. However, aggregates, mulch, paving stones, retaining walls and other structural features can also add texture to your garden. Be sure to choose elements with different textures throughout your garden to add visual interest. 4. Form You can think of form as the shape of a plant or other structural object. If you have a formal garden, the forms will be more tailored and manicured, with clipped hedges and defined lines. Informal landscapes tend to have natural forms and rely less on heavy pruning and maintenance. 5. Scale One of the trickiest elements in landscaping design is scale. You want to have a good balance between the size of your garden elements and the size of your home, as well as surrounding homes and public areas. If you have a smaller home, consider choosing elements that are in proportion to the size of your home. A larger home may be able to incorporate larger elements. Understanding these landscaping elements will help you design a landscape that you love! For expert help, contact The Luxury Landscape Co, LLC, for all your design and landscaping needs!

Well, it's past Memorial Day and we're working up to the 4th of July ... here are recommendations of complementary varieties in Red, White and Blue to plants. Red Geranium Red geraniums are a great centerpiece for a fourth of July potted container because geraniums are a floral choice that keeps giving and giving. Geraniums, when deadheaded, can continue to bloom and bloom all summer long. Pair this flower with white alyssum which will also flower all summer, and purple or red salvia plants which add their own pop of color without dominating the combination.

Like the island bed, there are no hard and fast rules for creating a berm. But some simple guidelines can help create a beautiful berm. Berms and island beds can be quite similar, but there are two notable differences. The island bed generally “floats” alone in the landscape, whereas a berms are sweeping hills that alter the landscape. A berm alters and becomes a part of the landscape, often flowing up to or adjoining with other elements of the landscape such as structures or an adjoining hills or a stand of woods. Tapering the berm to the natural ground level also makes it appear a part of the natural landscape, but it is becoming common to see berms walled up. The other primary difference is that an island is generally created on the existing elevation of the property. A berm significantly raises the elevation by building up hills or mounds with soil. If you are considering creating a berm, keep in mind that a surprisingly large quantity of soil is required. Cultivated soil may be cost prohibitive depending on the size and height of the berm you have envisioned. Check with excavating companies in your area, for a reasonable charge you may be able to acquire fill from construction projects such as digging for a new homes’ basement or a swimming pool. Add cultivated soil only on top and dig in to the planting areas where necessary. Purpose of a Berm There are many reasons to create a berm, some very functional, some strictly aesthetic. A functional berm usually becomes aesthetic in its’ finishing. Create interest in a flat landscape Separate functional areas Add a focal point Create a privacy screen Create a wind barrier Create a noise barrier Enhance a design Create a soil depth where soil conditions are unfavorable Elevate plants to a better viewing position Improve or redirect drainage

As homeowners spend more time outdoors, they have a new need for their outdoor space to feel more functional and complete. Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, garden or pond, we are seeing homeowners lean toward creating more efficient, defined outdoor spaces. Landscapers and gardeners are now looking for ways to connect nature with patios and outdoor spaces to create the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy all the well-being benefits the outdoors provides.

Ready to hide the view of a neighbor's patio, enclose a pool deck or buffer the noise of a nearby street? Many trees and shrubs can be planted tightly to form hedges, groves and screens to offer a solution. Many also add multi-season beauty and support wildlife. The key is to select the right tree for the right place whether shady and wet or cold and windy. Here are some favorites to try.